Home Fires Burning
by Kryten
Summary: When Blackfire joins forces with the evil Citadel to take back Tamaran, Starfire must return home to save her people! UPDATED!
1. Prologue

_Authors' note: This story takes place in what would be the seventh season of the series. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Titans or any related characters. DC Comics does. I'm just borrowing them.

* * *

_

On days like today, Galfore felt every single one of his two hundred seventy-eight _durga_.

The current emperor of Tamaran restlessly paced through the halls of And'R Palace in a vain attempt to focus on the problems of the day. He remembered once saying that facing a horde of Voorlian Berserkers was easy compared to raising three small children. Now, though, he yearned for the relative serenity of dealing with teething, puking, and temper tantrums. Compared to the agonizing tedium of running a planet, it was like a vacation.

His mind drifted back about three _durga_ to the circumstances that had placed him on Tamaran's throne. Back then, the rule had been Komand'R's. She'd been a spoiled and petty monarch, governing more with whims than wisdom. The final straw had come when she'd used her authority to prevent an invasion by the Drenthax... by offering King Glrdlesklechhh the hand of her own sister in marriage. Young Koriand'R had been resistant to the idea, but was willing to go along with the marriage for the good of Tamaran. However, when the princess's allies, the Titans, had proven the invasion to be a fraud, Kori challenged her sister to combat for the throne, and won. Ultimately, though, she had decided that she was unqualified to be the Empress herself, and had chosen her beloved _knorfka _to lead the planet.

_I must remind myself to thank her, _he thought ruefully. Thanks to that "honor", five of his nine stomachs now had ulcers. Still... Galfore was never one to shirk his duty. If only there wasn't so MUCH of it. From moderating public disputes, to overseeing economic, agricultural, and cultural development... the endless, ENDLESS meetings with the Elders... managing relations with other worlds... it was overwhelming. His hair had gone silver practically overnight.

And now, there was this new threat, the mysterious force known only as the Citadel. They'd sprung up on the outskirts of the system, and almost immediately overran every neighboring world. From there, they'd swept through numerous worlds, conquering them with little resistance.

_But then, they have never come up against Tamaran, _he though with satisfaction. There were few races fiercer than his own through the known universe. Even the Gordanians had not been able to overcome them.

No, Galfore did not fear the Citadel.

"Sire!"

Galfore's reverie had been interrupted by his aide, Karras. He acknowledged the younger man with a nod. "Speak, Karras. What is so important that you must interrupt the first period of free time I have had in _eltzai_?"

"It's Harn Outpost, sire."

"Yes, Harn outpost... what of it? Out with it! I don't have patience for guessing games today!"

"It's... not there, anymore, sire."

"And... do we know WHY it's not there anymore?"

"I'm... afraid so, sire. We have their last transmission." He removed the small comm device from his belt and hit the "replay" button.

"_Tamaran! This is Harn Outcrackle reporting. crackledel fleet approaching! Repeat! Citadel crackle approaching! Heading crackle 573.981! Preparing defense—" _The transmission cut out suddenly.

"We can only assume what happened after that, sire," the aide continued, the weary sound of defeat in his voice.

"Harn Outpost..." Galfore sighed heavily. He felt as though he had aged a thousand _durga_ and gained a thousand _tsevnas _in the last _mura. _"They will not be long, at this rate. Quickly... We must raise the planetshield and scramble the Tamaran Guard."

"As you command, sire," Karras spoke into his comm. "This is Karras. Alert all defense forces. Gold priority. The Citadel fleet approaches,"

"_Aye, sir. Gold priority. All forces at maximum readiness," _came the reply.

"We shall be ready, then," Galfore declared. "The Citadel will find that Tamaran is one world that will NOT cower before them."

* * *

Aboard the Citadel flagship _Talon_, a man stood. He was a humanoid, seven feet tall, with a muscular build. His skin was a dark indigo, his hair stark white in contrast, and his expression a mixture of arrogance and cunning.

This man had no name, as most sentients did. He was known only as The First, for that was what he was... the first member of the Citadelian race, the first among all of the Citadelians in authority. In fact, technically he was the _only _member of the Citadelian race, since all the others were merely clones mutated from his own DNA.

In contrast to The First, the Citadelian soldier-drones were large, slovenly, grotesque creatures, with bulky, misshapen bodies, no hair, and massive tusks. They had a distinct lack of intelligence, but made up for it in sheer brutality.

"We approach Tamaran, Great First," the drone at the helm stated. He had no name; The First had never bothered to give the drones any. After all, if he himself had none, why should his inferiors? "Planet shields up. Shoot guns now, Great First?"

"That won't be necessary," The First's companion purred. "My dear _knorfka_ may have locked the door, but he forgets that I know where the spare key is hidden." Her golden-skinned fingers danced over her station's keys. "There... our own shields are now on the same frequency as the planet's... we'll just pass right through. No need for any messy bombardment."

"A good choice, my dear... why crush what you can simply take intact?" He nodded to the helm officer. "Take us in. We have a planet to seize."

_I'll have the throne back in no time, _thought Blackfire. _I should have allied with the Citadel ages ago.

* * *

_

"They're through the shield?" questioned Galfore, uncomprehending. "How is that possible? They would have needed to know the... frequency..."

Realization gripped him. Only three people would know the codes. One was on Earth, one had relocated to the outskirts of the system...

...and one had been banished.

"Komand'R." he thought aloud, feeling the grip of age once again. "No... she could not be responsible. They must have forced her to reveal the frequency, somehow."

"Sire..." replied Karras, "I know you regard her as if she was your own daughter, but-"

"SHE WOULD NOT BETRAY HER OWN PEOPLE!" Galfore angrily cut him off, grabbing his shoulders. "HOW DARE YOU EVEN SUGGEST-"

His angry denial was interrupted by the planetary alarm, the signal that the fleet had entered the atmosphere. A glance out the window confirmed it; the massive white Citadel dreadnaught was reverse-silhouetted against the dark violet skies, flanked by three smaller battlewagons and hundreds of small insectlike drone fighters. The dreadnaught alone packed enough firepower to reduce the city to a crater; combined with the battlewagons and drones.

Karras received a transmission on his comm. "Sire?" he said. "The dreadnought is hailing us."

"I will take it in my chambers," replied Galfore with the sound of defeat in his voice.

* * *

"Hello, dear _knorfka_. Did you miss me?"

"_Komand'R," _acknowledged the old man on the screen curtly. _"Do you care to explain why you have chosen to ally yourself with these X'hal-forsaken brutes? What could they have offered you that would make you turn against your own kind?"_

"They promised me the thing that was stolen from me... the throne of Tamaran," replied Blackfire petulantly. "Now... if you don't mind, I'd like if you handed it over."

"_You're a fool, Kom. The Citadel will never honor its end of your bargain. Even if by some miracle, they DO allow you to sit on the throne, you will be little more than their puppet. Please... listen to me for once!"_

"You're boring me," the ex-empress replied dismissively.

"Enough." The First stepped forward. "The choice is simple. Surrender, or be vaporized... along with every other Tamaranean on your planet." Blackfire attempted to protest, but the First silenced her.

The emperor turned to someone offscreen, and whispered a question. Blackfire had no idea what he'd asked or what the answer had been, but it seemed to greatly displease him.

Finally, the old man turned back toward the screen. _"For the sake of Tamaran... I surrender."_

"Excellent," the First replied. "I had a feeling you'd see things our way."

* * *

"Ahhh... I've forgotten how comfortable this was," Blackfire said, settling into the throne."

"I'm glad, my dear," the First replied. "You realize that I was merely bluffing back there, correct? I would never have _actually _fired on the city."

"I wish you'd chosen to share that with me beforehand," the empress admonished. "You're only here at my behest, you know."

"Of course. I would not dream of countermanding you."

"Good. Where is Galfore? I'd like to see him, if you don't mind."

"I regret to say, my empress, that he fled. I suppose he didn't have the courage to transfer the throne himself."

"That... doesn't sound like my _knorfka_," Blackfire responded, confused.

"I suppose you didn't know him as well as you thought you did. Power can do things to people... transform them completely beyond recognition," answered the First.

"I suppose it's just as well. I would have had to punish him... It wouldn't have been very enjoyable for me."

"Of course. We can't have you worrying yourself with such umpleasantness, do we?"

"Oh, I have no problem with punishing certain others. Like my dear sister Koriand'R. I'm definitely looking forward to that. The little _klorbag_ steals the throne from me, and can't even be bothered to keep it. No... she has to go back to Earth and continue to play 'super-hero' with her stupid little club." She stood up, her anger and resentment boiling inside. "I want her brought here to face punishment."

"Very well, your highness... I will dispatch a team of bounty hunters to retrieve her."

'They'll have to be really good... those insipid friends of hers are sure to rush to her defense."

"Oh, don't worry about that, dear... I plan on sending Gathrak the Savage and his warpack."

"Khunds?" For the first time, Blackfire found her resolve slipping. "Isn't that sort of... overkill?"

"No... I think it will be just the right amount of kill."

_Next: A celebration at Titans' Tower is ruined when the Khunds crash the party.

* * *

_

_Tamaranean-to-English Glossary:_

_Durg (pl. durga): Tamaranean time measurement roughly corresponding to a year._

_Eltza (pl. eltzai): Tamaranean time measurement roughly corresponding to a week._

_Klorbag: Untranslatable Tamaranean insult._

_Knorfka: Caretaker, usually of children._

_Mura (pl. murai): Tamaranean time measurement roughly corresponding to a minute._

_Tzevna (pl. tzevnas): Tamaranean weight measurement roughly corresponding to a pound._

_X'Hal: Goddess worshipped by most inhabitants of the Vega system._


	2. Party Crushers

The northern coast of California has a rich history. Take, in particular, Jump City. Originally settled during the 1849 Gold Rush, the town was officially incorporated as Fortitude, California. However, despite the virtuous name of the town, it became notorious for its lawlessness and soon earned the nickname "Claimjumper City". Pretty soon, no one was using the town's real name. Eventually, as time passed and so did the days of the Old West, the town's nickname was shortened to, simply, Jump City. This story is not about it.

One thing that never really changed was the city's criminal reputation; however, today's desperadoes had eschewed six-shooters for shrink-rays and giant robots. This story isn't about them, either.

Off the coast of Jump City, there's a small island, owned (on paper) by an East Coast millionaire named Bruce Wayne. The island has only one building, a large, T-shaped shaped tower with some very unique tenants. They called themselves The Titans, and they were the main reason why the city hadn't been overwhelmed by modern-day desperadoes with shrink guns and giant robots.

This is their story.

* * *

"Yo, salad-head, knock that off!" yelled Victor Stone at the small green cat sharpening its claws on the curtains. "It's really, REALLY annoying."

Sheepishly, the cat stopped and reverted to its true form, a shortish boy of about sixteen with pointed ears, fangs, and, most notable, bright green skin and hair. "Sorry," replied Garfield Logan (better known as "Beast Boy") apologetically. "Y'know how it is, right? Some people bite their nails when they get nervous; I shred drapery." The violet-and-black-costumed teen chuckled nervously.

Victor shook his head in exasperation. "Don't see why you're so damn nervous, BB. It's just a party. Since when were you someone who couldn't enjoy a party?"

Vic Stone, AKA Cyborg, was a dramatic contrast to his best friend. Whereas Gar Logan was small and skinny, Vic was just the opposite. At the age of 20 he was the oldest of the group's members, and at 6'6" and over 400 pounds, easily the largest. He was a man who would stand out in even the most diverse crowd... he was huge, bulky, and over 75 of him was mechanical.

"It isn't the party so much as the main event. I mean... you know..." Gar fidgeted nervously. "I'm not sure she's ready."

"It's been a year, man," commented Vic. "If she hasn't adjusted by now, she's never gonna be adjusted."

"Uh, it's kind of a LOT to adjust TO. Coming back from the dead, losing one family, gaining another one, dealing with a whole bunch of new powers..."

"Gar, the Tara Markov out there is completely identical, body and mind, to the one we knew, and I think she deserves to be treated like it."

"My brain knows that... but you know how little I use that thing." The green-skinned boy offered up a weak grin. He quickly changed the subject. "So, everybody's here, huh?"

"Pretty much," answered Vic. "Red Star was busy, but he sent a tray of his homemade blintzes. So, c'mon. You know I don't like missin' a good party."

* * *

Gar and Vic (or, as they were known in this assemblage, Beast Boy and Cyborg) entered the main rec room, to find it more crowded than it had ever been. Nearly every active and reserve Titan had gathered today for the occasion. Over by the conversation pit, Gar spotted the petite crystal-spinner, Kole, and her Cro-Magnon pal G'Naark, the latter looking a bit uncomfortable in his T-Shirt and jeans, and around Pantha, who seemed to have developed an interest in the teen caveman. The speedster twins Mas and Menos had engaged Kid Flash in a ping-pong match that was impossible for any human being to follow, while Jinx looked on, a bit bored. Aqualad, the Atlantean hero, and his sidekick/engineer Tramm had claimed the pool. Bushido, Hotspot, Kilowatt, and Wildebeest had taken up a spot near the buffet and were talking sports (actually, Hotspot, Bushido and Kilowatt were talking, Wildebeest mostly grunted.). Thunder and Lightning had taken over the Gamestation and were engaged in beating the virtual brains out of each other. Starfire and Raven were waiting near the door for Nightwing and the guest of honor. Several of the more musically-inclined Titans had commandeered the stage for an impromptu concert which had yet to get started; Bumblebee was handling lead vocals, Jericho was on guitar, Argent on bass, Herald on sax, and Speedy manned the drums.

"All right, everyone!" Bumblebee announced, "Put your hands together for _Great Frog_!"

_-Okay, who picked that name?- _signed the blonde, bodysnatching guitarist. _–Because it really sucks.-_

"Blame Speedy, Jer," Argent sniffed, brushing a stray lock of her spiky red-streaked black hair away from her platinum-white skin. "I wanted to call us _Black Mucus._"

"Oh, yeah... that's a big improvement," snarked the hooded African-American sax player.

"Could you all SHUT UP so we can start?" growled Bumblebee.

"Oooh, someone's sleeping on the couch tonight," quipped Speedy, glancing in Herald's direction.

"At least I _have _a girlfriend," shot back Herald. "When was YOUR last date, Bow Boy?"

"Ugh, someone come up with a cure for testosterone," groaned Bumblebee, her hair-poms seeming to droop.

"They did," retorted Speedy. "She's playing bass."

"Wow, you're so bloody clever," Argent deflected. "Where'd you get that one, a sitcomrerun?"

"Gee, you'd never know those two used to date," deadpanned Raven as the red-haired archer and the pale plasma-caster lit into each other.

"Is it wrong of me to find the arguing more entertaining than the music?" asked Starfire of her pallid, violet-tressed companion.

"Normally I'd say no," replied Raven, "but my boyfriend happens to be playing guitar, so I'd kinda like to see this get started." She paused for a moment to consider it. "Huh. Look at me. A band groupie."

"X'hal spoke of time as the only weapon that has no defense," Starfire quoted. "Don't try to resist change... just accept it."

"I'm not complaining," the Azarathean responded. "Speaking of boyfriends... where's yours, princess."

"Oh, he's right-" She looked around, finding him to be nowhere in sight.. "Arrgh. I am going to strangle that man one day." She stormed off.

_That's what she gets for dating a Bat, _Raven thought to herself with a smile.

* * *

"Okay, let's see... Dr. Light: captured. Scorcher and Blizzard: locked up. Johnny Rancid: behind bars. Control Freak: who cares..."

"What do you think you're doing?"

Nightwing whirled from the display. Starfire stood in the Command Center's doorway, arms crossed, expression somewhere between amused and irritated.

"Oh, uh, yeah..." he stammered. "Just giving the enemy files a quick once-over before the party... evil never rests, y'know..."

"Neither do you, apparently," Starfire said, grabbing hold of him. "The party has already started, and you are joining me. Now. Do I make myself clear?"

"Oh... sure, okay," Nightwing said. He wasn't usually like this, but something about the tall golden-skinned beauty turned his knees (and, usually, brain) to jelly. "So, uh... everyone's here, huh."

"Very close to it," Starfire confirmed.

"Did Mirage show up? Oh, yeah... we haven't contacted her yet. I should do that now," he said, squirming out of Starfire's grasp.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Starfire declared, hoisting the reluctant Titan on her shoulders. "There will be no playing the loner workaholic tonight! We are going out there, we will enjoy the company of the others, and, if the bassist and drummer don't murder each other, we're dancing. GOT IT?"

"Okay," Nightwing said, defeated. "Could you at least put me down? This is really embarrassing."

"And risk escape? I think not."

* * *

_Space_

_Neptune's Orbit_

"Entering system, Warlord Galthark."

The Khundish mercenary commander grunted in approval. "Maintain course. Information officer! Tell me what I need to know about this 'Earth.'" His order was vaguely contemptuous; Khunds tended to look down on anyone who wasn't dedicated to the arts of maiming and killing.

Galthark himself was a typical specimen of his species... close to seven feet tall, approaching 350 pounds of solid muscle. His skin was the pale yellow of the upper caste, his features rough and brutish. A double-edged axe was welded to the stump of his left arm; he'd actually severed the limb himself so he could replace it with something more lethal. Such self-mutilation was common among the Khunds. They were a race known for brutality and violence... not so much for intelligence.

Heklath, the information officer, turned toward his officer. He'd wound up in the position by default; he was small, barely topping six feet, and still had all his original body parts, no doubt because he was one of the few Khunds whose IQ reached triple digits. "Unremarkable, Warlord. The dominant race is small and weak, no match for us. The only problem I forsee is an overabundance of hypernormals. Rumor has it that the target has concealed herself within a cluster of these beings."

"Pfah," spat Galthark. "We will slay them all and bring the _troq _princess back within a cage made from the bones of her allies. Full speed ahead."

* * *

By the time Starfire managed to drag Nightwing into the rec room, the band had finally gotten started. Right now, they were playing "Like a Rolling Stone." That led into "Like a Rock", "We Will Rock You", "Ain't no Mountain High Enough," "Rock You Like a Hurricane"...

Jericho stopped playing. _–That's really more of a wind song, isn't it?- _his hands asked.

"Yeah, but it has 'rock' in the title," Speedy pointed out.

Suddenly, the room grew quiet. Everyone whirled toward the main entrance.

"Uh... hi..." Terra said, blushing. "Don't stop on my account."

"Welcome back!" Starfire shouted, tackling the petite blonde in a crushing hug.

"I like the new look," mentioned Raven offhand.

"Thanks," Terra said. She was wearing an orange leotard with brown trim, brown gloves and boots with gold cuffs, and a belt with a "T" belt buckle, in addition to her trademark aviator goggles. "They're the Markovian national colors. And well... my last costume had too many negative memories attached. I want to focus only on the positives from now on. Speaking of which... where's Gar?"

In answer, a small green cat trotted up and leapt into her hands. Terra nuzzled the feline happily.

"This is taxing even my tolerance," Raven said, averting her eyes so no one could see her grin.

"What can I say," Terra said, smiling. I can't resist 'the face.'"

"So," Cyborg said, clapping her on the shoulder, "back on the team for good?"

"Absolutely," Terra said, smiling. "Markovia's great, but there's only so many times a girl can go skiing."

"This is great!" Jinx said, jogging over. "I can't wait to work with you!"

"Excuse me," Raven said icily. "I have to go over there now." She walked off.

"What's THAT about?" Terra asked.

"It's about HER attitude," Jinx said irritatedly. "I've been on this team for a year, and she still treats me like yesterday's garbage. You show up, and she's all smiles and hugs. What is her problem?"

"I don't know," Nightwing said. "It's something that you and Raven have to work out. But it's something that has to be settled soon, because quite frankly I'm getting really tired of it."

* * *

The Battlecruiser drifted into orbit, cloaked from detection.

"Find the _troq _and transport us down," Galthark demanded imperiously.

Heklath's fingers danced across the controls. "Tamaranean lifesign located, Warlord. But- "

"Lock on and transport us down!"

"But, Warlord, you need to kn-"

"Silence, insolent _durj_!" Galthark backhanded the Information officer across the face. "When I give you an order, I expect it to be followed! Now transport us, or I shall strangle you with your own innards!"

"Y-yes, Warlord," Heklath said, hitting the control. As the crew vanished, he added, silently, _And rot in hell, you stupid fool.

* * *

_

They materialized dead center of the rec room. Galthark looked around.

There were a lot more than he expected.

"Oh, _nass_," he muttered under his breath. "Second... how many are there?"

"I count..." Galthark's second-in-command tried his fingers before giving up, "a lot, Warlord."

A smile formed on Galthark's lips. "No matter. There's always room for more blood."

* * *

The room had gone completely quiet.

"You!" the alien who seemed to be in charge demanded. "I am Warlord Galthark of the Khundian Empire! You will surrender the Tamaranean immediately or face our wrath!"

"Hmm," Cyborg responded. "I think I speak for everyone when I say," he primed his sonic canon, "HELL no."

"Good," Galthark said, grinning, hefting his axe-hand. "I was hoping for a good slaughter. ATTACK!" he bellowed, and his troops charged into battle.

One, whose left leg housed a plasma-pulse strober, fired on the two. Starfire launched herself into the air, grabbing Nightwing with one hand hand while using the other to knock the attacker away.

"Who are these guys?" asked Nightwing.

"They are natives of the Elia sector. Vicious, bloodthirsty conquerors. They often hire themselves out as mercenaries to other governments. Why they are on Earth, though, I have no idea."

"How many do you think there are?"

"It looks like about thirteen."

"Then I guess that's THEIR unlucky number," he said, smiling. "Titans, g-"

Starfire smiled. "I think they're already 'going' just fine."

* * *

"Stand still, you idiots!" Bludgeon growled as the twin maces that were once his hands attempted to flatten the twin tyhoons.

"Eres tu que est un idiota!" Mas jibed as he and his brother nimbly ducked and jumped his attacks. "Si, y muy malodoroso!" added Menos for good measure. The two yanked the rug out from under the creep and wrapped him up.

* * *

Another Khund, this one with spiderlike mechanical legs substituting for his lower body, fire his shoulder-mounted ice-cannon at Hotspot, Aqualad, and Kilowatt.

"I really, REALLY don't like ice," the hot-tempered Titan griped as he melted the ice-missiles fired at the three of them.

"Maybe not, but, all that water'll come in handy," Aqualad replied as his hydrokinesis redirected it at the Khund, soaking him. "Your turn, 'Watt,"

"Gotcha," the electric-powered teen said as he fired at the Khund, shorting out his mechanical legs. The Khund collapsed, hard.

"If you say 'Shocking, isn't it,' I'm giving you a hotfoot," Hotspot said.

"I don't have to," Kilowatt replied, grinning, "You just did it for me."

* * *

Kizark the Swordmaster's blades whirled intricately as he advanced on Bushido.

"Come, human... we shall see whose blades are best."

Bushido braced for combat. It never came; Raven landed in front of him and simply blasted his opponent aside. "I did not require help," he said, a bit peeved.

"I know, but I've always wanted to do that," Raven replied, half-smiling.

* * *

Galthark looked around. The fight was going badly; already, half his men had been subdued by the gaudy-colored humans. Worse, some of them had been defeated by – he shuddered – FEMALES. His warriors should have easily been superior to these human fools... what had went wrong?

No matter; this could still be salvaged. His men were expendable; what mattered was seizing the _troq _princess and bringing her to the First, and claiming a fat reward that would, then, not need to be shared among fourteen people. He grinned; ten million Vegan Credits would purchase much grog – and many females.

There she was now, she and her male, fighting Proxy, the Khund who possessed the power to create duplicates of himself. Such anomalies were rare on Khundia, and Galthark's claim to fame was possessing two of them (the other, Monolith, who could become a stone giant, was being worn down by Cyborg, Jinx, Argent, Speedy, and Beast Boy). "Stand aside," he told the replicator.

"This is my fi-" began Proxy before Galthark's axe cleanly cleaved the head from his true body, causing his doubles to vanish.

Nightwing glared at the Khund, livid. "How... He was your own crewman, you sick bastard!"

"Mine to command, mine to kill. As are you." He advanced. "Give up the _troq _princess and I will grant you a swift, merciful death."

"As tempting as that is..." Nightwing took up a fighting stance, breaking out his batons. "I think I'll go with the option where I beat the crap out of you."

"As you wish!" Galthark's axe swung down... and was caught by an orange-skinned hand.

"I think _I _should have a say in this, personally," Starfire said.

"Release me, _troq_, or—"

"And another thing... I really, _really_ hate being called that." With that, she judo-hurled the hulking Khund into the buffet.

Galthark stumbled back to his feet. "I... will NOT... be defeated by a female!"

Starfire advanced on him, eyes glowing. "If I were you, I would get my money back on those prophecy lessons." Her eyebeams lanced out, catching the Khund directly in the chest. He tried valiantly to shrug it off, but Starfire kept up the pressure, until, at last, he fell.

Nightwing took a look around, noting that the other Titans had managed to subdue the other Khunds. "Looks like it's all over but the shouting." He glanced down at the leader. "So, any idea WHY these idiots were after you?"

"I have a few guesses," Starfire replied, "but I'd much rather get it out of him. When he wakes up, anyway."

* * *

Galthark awoke, his head pounding. He attempted to rub his head. He found that he could not. He attempted standing up. He could not do that either.

He opened his eyes. He found himself in a metal chair, steel restraints holding his arms and legs in place. The human male, the one in blue, stood before him. "Hi, he said. My name is Nighwting, and I'll be interrogating you today."

Galtharl growled. "Release me, filthy sons of durjes, or I shall force you to watch as I rip off your limbs one b-"

A slap silenced him. "Quiet. You won't be forcing anyone to do anything. Now, tell me... who sent you?"

Galthark spat. "I would sooner bathe in the acid pits of Khundia Prime than answer your question, Earthman. I would sooner dive headfirst into the Flaming Tar Pits of Toonar. I would sooner become the bride of a Tarkasian Razor-Fanged Carnizoid."

"Sorry. I can't supply any of that. But I think I do have someone who can convince you. Raven?"

The Azarathean stepped forward, her hood up. "Let's get this over with," she said.

Nightwing's veneer of toughness faded a bit. "If you have any moral objections to doing this, you can stop."

"I do," the pale-skinned girl replied, "but my ethical problems are nothing compared to my 'space gorillas tried to kidnap my best friend' problems."

"THIS one is your secret weapon?" scoffed the Khundish warlord. "This mere slip of a female?"

Raven ignored him. She closed her eyes and began her chant. "Azarath metrion zinthos.. Azarath metrion zinthos..."

Galthark smirked. "Ah, I see... she will bore me to death. Well done, Earthman, well-"

Raven's eyes snapped open. Her body seemed to swell, turning into living darkness in the shape of her namesake bird. The shadow-raven flew at Galthark, engulfing him...

The room was gone. His restraints were gone. He was free. But... where was he?

There was nothing here. No walls, no floor, no ground. Just endless darkness stretching out in all directions. He tried turning, but direction was meaningless. Every way he faced, the view was the same. Nothingness.

No. He would not accept this. He was a Khundish warrior! "End this nonsense!" he demanded. "Face me in battle, cowardly wench!"

"Fine," came a voice, seemingly from nowhere. He recognized it as being vaguely similar to the one belonging to the girl, though with an echoing, otherworldly quality. "Fight me."

"Show yourself, child, so I may strike you down!" the Khund bellowed. "Remove the darkness."

"I can't do that," the voice said. A pair of red eyes opened in the seemingly endless void. And another. And another. And another. And dozens. Hundreds. "I AM the darkness."

Suddenly, the void began to take on substance, to thicken. It oozed all over him, consuming him, forcing itself down his nose, his ears, his throat, as mocking laughter echoed around him...

And he was back in the chair. And, without even realizing it, he had been screaming.

"Well?" asked Nightwing. "She has more where that came from... want another dose?"

"No," the Khund was surprised to hear himself gasp. "Please... no more."

"Who sent you?" he asked.

"The... Citadel," Galthark stammered. "They hired us on behalf of the Empress of Tamaran... Komand'R".

"I thought Galfore was the ruler of Tamaran. Who is this 'Komand'R'?" asked Nightwing.

"You'd know her by the English translation of her name," Starfire said, scowling. She'd been watching from the doorway. "Blackfire."

* * *

Heklath had spent the intervening time amusing himself by watching broadcasts of some of the planet's entertainment programs. One in particular, about a crew of humans exploring deep space, was becoming a particular favorite. The brutish villains they fought reminded him of his imbecilic crewmates.

A blinking light on the communications console snapped him back to attention. His crewmates were done, no doubt. Either they had successfully captured the Tamaranean and slaughtered the others, or they were retreating. He hoped it was the former... Galthark was not easy to deal with when he had failed.

He hit the comm.. Rather than Galthark's ugly yellow face, however, he saw a brown-skinned human with various cybernetic implants.

"Yo. Khund ship," he said. "You're about to get a special delivery. Once you get it, you'd best be leavin' the solar system at top speed if you know what's good for you."

On cue, the landing party, bound in metallic restraints, materialized on the deck.

Galthark glared at Heklath. "Release us, worm, and be quick about it. I with to rend those wretched apelings limb from limb and I can't do it like this! Move, you insect!"

A slow smile spread across Heklath's face. "No... I don't think I'll be doing that. I have a much better idea."

* * *

"Traitorous durj!" frothed Galthark, nearly orange with rage, his neck veins bulging. "I demand you stop this treachery at once!"

"Yeah, well... you're not really in a position to demand anything anymore." Heklath said with a smile. "Oh, and don't worry, the life support in the capsule should last long enough to keep you alive until you reach Takron-Galtos, the prison-planet. I believe you ARE still wanted by the Galactic Police for various atrocities, right?" He slammed the door to the capsule and launched it, contemplating what he'd do with his newly-acquired starship and freedom. Maybe he'd be an explorer.

Aboard the capsule, Galthark seethed in anger. He had been defeated... by a child. A _troq _female, yet. And he had been reduced to a whimpering lump of jelly by another female child. And now, his own crewman had betrayed him.

How could this get worse?

"Galthark." It was Omra, his second gunner. One of the few Khunds who refused cybernetic enhancement – indeed, he wore the mass of scar tissue that replaced his left eye as a badge of honor.

Galthark glared at him. "You address me with familiarity you did not earn. I am still commander of this cr-"

"You are commander of nothing," spat Omra. "We all saw what you did to Proxy. When we arrive at Takron-Galtos... you will WISH for such a merciful end from us."

* * *

"Thank you, all of you," Starfire protested, "but this is a personal matter. My sister must be dealt with, and I can't allow any of you to risk your life for me."

"Forget it," Nightwing stated. "Either we all go, or nobody goes."

"Please... this doesn't concern you," she continued to plead.

"Alien warriors tried to kidnap you," Raven pointed out. "If that didn't concern us, we'd be pretty lousy friends."

"Besides," Cyborg added, "I've kinda been waiting for an excuse to try out my latest masterpiece." He slammed a button on the wall panel, and the wall slid aside, revealing...

"Whoa," Beast Boy said, admiringly.

"I give you the T-Cruiser. This baby can go from zero to Warp 7 in ten-point-three seconds, is equipped with twin ion cannons and a proton torpedo launcher, and can seat up to a dozen comfortably. Plus, it's got something the old T-Sub didn't."

"What's that?" asked Jinx.

"A bathroom. It's a LONG trip to the Vega system."

* * *

"Dude, check it out!" Beast Boy said, excitedly, as he, Nightwing, Cyborg, Starfire, Jinx, Raven, and Terra piled in. "It's got reclining seats! And..." he inhaled deeply, "Ohhh, yeah. New starship smell."

"Everyone get comfy," Cyborg said, taking the pilot's seat. "We're blasting off in thirty seconds."

"Uh, maybe I should skip this one," Terra said. "I mean, I'm still a newbie and all..."

"Aw, c'mon... don't tell me you don't wanna go on a space mission!" said Beast Boy, nudging her.

"Oh, yeah, heh heh," Terra said, smiling weakly. "Space mission. Who wouldn't."

"All right, everyone!" declared Cyborg. "Next stop... Vega!"

_Next: Starfire's origin

* * *

_

_Bio section: Active members of the Titans_

Titans West Roster

Nightwing (Richard "Dick" Grayson) (formerly Robin): The orphaned son of circus acrobats, Dick was adopted and trained by the greatest crimefighter of our generation. Though he has no superhuman abilities, he's an Olympic-level athlete, a master of martial arts and weapons, and a skilled investigator and strategist. Usually carries a grappling hook, collapsible fighting batons, and "Wingarang" weapons for throwing. His costume is bulletproof and fireproof and has "wings" for gliding; his mask has built-in night-vision and infra-red lenses. Can be driven and obsessive, though not nearly as badly as his mentor; he's capable of kicking back and having a good time if need be. Currently romantically involved with Starfire.

Starfire (Koriand'R): Former Princess of Tamaran, arrived on Earth after fleeing Gordanian slavers. Possesses the powers of flight, superstrength, and the ability to store energy and release it in small bursts from her hands ("starbolts") or in a continuous blast from her eyes. Starfire was naïve about Earth customs and culture when she first came to Earth; she has gotten more savvy since then (and her speech has become less formal and stilted), but she can still make an amusing gaffe now and then. Beware her temper; she's pretty nasty in a fight. Currently romantically involved with Nightwing.

Cyborg (Victor "Vic" Stone): Once a promising athlete and sought-after by several colleges offering him a full scholarship, Vic's life was dramatically changed when visiting his scientist parents one day after school... a tragic lab accident killed his mother and destroyed most of his body. His father managed to rebuild him using new experimental cybernetic systems. Cyborg is both the muscle and brains of the group; his mechanically-enhanced muscles make him superhumanly strong and fast, his cybernetic parts are super-durable, and his half-positronic brain has super-accelerated thought capabilities and limitless capacity for information storage, and can interface directly with computers. His body is a virtual arsenal of weaponry, including sonic cannons, missiles, and electrical shockers. His limbs can be detached and controlled remotely. Cyborg is sometimes bitter about the blow life has dealt him, but still has an unquenchable desire to live life to the fullest. His hobbies include tinkering with anything mechanical, cooking anything with meat in it, and beating the brains out of just about anyone at video games. Currently romantically involved with a social worker named Sarah Simms, who, unknown to him, is the reincarnation of a warrior he met in the past.

Raven (legal name: Rachel Roth): The offspring of a priestess named Arella and the otherdimensional demon-god Trigon, Raven was raised by the Monks of Azarath and trained from childhood to control her emotions and suppress the dark powers that are her father's legacy. Since joining the Titans, Raven has faced down and defeated her father and is now free from his influence. Raven's powers include levitation, healing, phasing, teleportation, empathy, telepathy, and telekinesis. She can also form shields and objects out of mystical dark energy. She has a working knowledge of magic and has mastered a number of powerful spells, though she prefers to rely on her usual abilities. Due to her sheltered upbringing and lifelong emotional suppression, Raven is a very quiet and solitary individual, and as a result has difficulty forming bonds with others. Currently romantically involved with Jericho.

Beast Boy (Garfield "Gar" Logan): Gar was raised in Africa by his biologist parents. As a child, he was bitten by a rare breed of green monkey and caught a virus; his parents found a cure, but as a result, Gar turned bright green and slightly animalistic, and gained the power to change into any animal, even some that are extinct or imaginary. After his parents died in a boating accident, Gar was "adopted" as the mascot of a team of super-heroes called the Doom Patrol under the name Beast Boy, and after a few years, left to join a new group, the Teen Titans. Beast Boy is the "class clown" of the team, always cracking jokes (though not of much quality) and playing pranks. He had feelings for Terra before her betrayal and death, and has made it a point to spend as much time with her as possible since her return.

Jinx (Vidya Ramesh): Little is known about Vidya's past. Orphaned at a very young age, she used her powers to eke out survival as a thief in Calcutta until she attracted the attention of the HIVE Mistress, who recruited her for her training academy. Jinx grew to be one of the most skilled students at the academy, and remained with them even after the HIVE Mistress was supplanted by Brother Blood. Upon Blood's defeat, Jinx joined with several other former HIVE Academy alumni, including Mammoth, Gizmo, Seemore, and at various times, Private HIVE, Billy Numerous, and Kyd Wykkyd. A chance encounter with Kid Flash led her to reconsider her life, and she has since reformed, joining the Teen Titans on a probationary basis. Jinx's powers involve the casting of "hex bolts" that cause unpredictable effects that seem to resemble "bad luck". She also has a working knowledge of occult rituals. Currently off-again, on-again with Kid Flash.

Terra (Tara Markov II): Tara's actual father is a minor European monarch who bedded her mother while "sowing his wild oats" in America. Tara was born with the mutant power to control the earth, though she never really developed control. A few years ago she befriended the Titans, but her trust issues drove her away from them and into the control of Slade Wilson, who used her to spy on the group. Terra was deeply conflicted by the ease with which the Titans accepted her into their ranks, and by her burgeoning attraction to beast Boy, but still betrayed them to Slade. In the end, though, she redeemed herself by saving the city from a volcano, at the cost of her own life. The current Terra is a clone Slade created from a sample of leftover DNA; Slade attempted to hide her from the Titans and adopt her as his own daughter, but she overcame her conditioning and joined them to defeat and, finally, unmask him (_Writer's Note: See "Resolutions", also by me_). Shortly after, she was reunited with her brother, Brion, the crown prince of Markovia. Terra has gotten much closer to Beast Boy since her return. Since being resurrected, her control over her earth-moving powers has become much better, and she's developed the other trademark abilities of the Markov family, including gravity control, superhuman strength, and increased resistance to injury.

Titans East Roster

Bumblebee (Karen Beecher): Karen's a born wiz at engineering... at the age of sixteen she designed a costume that gave her the power to shrink and included fully-functioning wings; she also designed a pair of B-shaped "stingers" that fire electrical bursts. It is unknown how she first met Aqualad, but at some point the two teamed up to infiltrate HIVE. Later, the two founded an eastern Titans branch headquartered in Steel City, PA. Bumblebee still serves as leader of the group; she's also redesigned her costume, incorporating her stingers into her gloves for convenience, and adding a helmet with antennae for receiving radio signals and "compound eye" goggles for infra-red, ultra-violet, microscopic, and telescopic vision. Bumblebee is a fiercely independent and expects the best of herself and others; she gets disappointed a lot. Currently romantically involved with Herald.

Aqualad (Garth, son of Tharr): Aqualad's past is shrouded in mystery. What IS known is that he was the defender of Atlantis, and later became a founding member of Titans East. Aqualad often works with an amphibian mechanic named Tramm. His powers include superhuman strength and durability, telepathy, the ability to breathe underwater, swim at high speeds, and communicate with sea creatures, and the ability to telekinetically control water. Personalitywise, he's a very serious individual, even more so than Robin. He seems to be a natural magnet for the ladies.

Speedy: (Roy Harper): Roy, orphaned son of a murdered forest ranger, was adopted by a member of the local Navajo tribe, and later became the ward of the greatest archer since Robin Hood. He seems to have a nearly endless supply of arrows, including various gimmicked arrows like explosive, acid, freeze, boomerang, and knockout arrows. Like his mentor, Speedy has a somewhat abrasive personality, and considers himself something of a ladies' man. He's had a tumultuous on-off (mostly off) relationship with teammate Argent.

Mas y Menos (Miguel and Marco Alvarez): Mutant twins, each is like half of a battery. When touching, they are capable of accelerating to tremendous speeds. They're both extremely hyperactive and fun-loving, but are prone to getting crushes on the same girl, which often drives a wedge between them.

Hotspot (Isaiah Crockett): Isaiah was an ordinary Earth teenager until he and eight others were kidnapped by the Psions and subjected to their genetic experiments. Hotspot was given the ability to generate blistering heat and flames; he can fly by propelling himself with heat blasts. Hotspot is usually a nice guy, but has a nasty temper.

Argent (Toni Monetti): Like her teammate Hotspot, Toni is a victim of Psion experiments, which, in her case, gave her the ability to fly and generate solid plasma energy in any shape she imagines, as well as skin invulnerable to all forms of harmful radiation. She's unusually skilled with languages, but whether this is a power or just a wild talent is unknown. Argent grew up spoiled rotten, and was vain, shallow, and selfish. She's improving but still has a ways to go. Currently on the outs with Speedy.


End file.
